1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to flexible packages, and the method for making same. More particularly, the present invention relates to flexible packages, and the method for making the same that are self-standing. The invention allows for use of flexible packages that can be stood upright without the need to be placed against other objects.
2. Description of Related Art
Vertical form, fill, and seal packaging machines are commonly used in the snack food industry for forming, filling, and sealing bags of chips and other like products. Such packaging machines take a packaging film from a sheet roll and forms the film into a vertical tube around a product delivery cylinder. The vertical tube is vertically sealed along its length to form a back seal. The machine applies a pair of heat-sealing jaws or facings against the tube to form a transverse seal. This transverse seal acts as the top seal on the bag below and the bottom seal on the package being filled and formed above. The product to be packaged, such as potato chips, is dropped through the product delivery cylinder and formed tube and is held within the tube above the bottom transverse seal. After the package has been filled, the film tube is pushed downward to draw out another package length. A transverse seal is formed above the product, thus sealing it within the film tube and forming a package of product. The package below said transverse seal is separated from the rest of the film tube by cutting across the sealed area.
The packaging film used in such process is typically a composite polymer material produced by a film converter. For example, one prior art composite film used for packaging potato chips and like products is illustrated in FIG. 1a, which is a schematic of a cross-section of the film illustrating each individual substantive layer. FIG. 1a shows an inside, or product side, layer 16 which typically comprises metalized oriented polypropylene (xe2x80x9cOPPxe2x80x9d) or metalized polyethylene terephtalate (xe2x80x9cPETxe2x80x9d). This is followed by a laminate layer 14, typically a polyethylene extrusion, and an ink or graphics layer 12. The ink layer 12 is typically used for the presentation of graphics that can be viewed through a transparent outside layer 10, which layer 10 is typically OPP or PET.
The prior art film composition shown in FIG. 1a is ideally suited for use on vertical form and fill machines for the packaging of food products. The metalized inside layer 16, which is usually metalized with a thin layer of aluminum, provides excellent barrier properties. The use of OPP or PET for the outside layer 10 and the inside layer 16 further makes it possible to heat seal any surface of the film to any other surface in forming either the transverse seals or back seal of a package.
Typical back seals formed using the film composition shown in FIG. 1a are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a schematic of a xe2x80x9clap sealxe2x80x9d embodiment of a back seal being formed on a tube of film. FIG. 3 illustrates a xe2x80x9cfin sealxe2x80x9d embodiment of a back seal being formed on a tube of film.
With reference to FIG. 2, a portion of the inside metalized layer 26 is mated with a portion of the outside layer 20 in the area indicated by the arrows to form a lap seal. The seal in this area is accomplished by applying heat and pressure to the film in such area. The lap seal design shown in FIG. 2 insures that the product to be placed inside the formed package will be protected from the ink layer by the metalized inside layer 26.
The fin seal variation shown in FIG. 3 also provides that the product to be placed in the formed package will be protected from the ink layer by the metalized inside layer 36. Again, the outside layer 30 does not contact any product. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, however, the inside layer 36 is folded over and then sealed on itself in the area indicated by the arrows. Again, this seal is accomplished by the application of heat and pressure to the film in the area illustrated.
As noted, a benefit of both the prior art fin seal and lap seal design is the containment of the product in the package by a barrier layer (the metalized inside layer) that keeps ink and solvent levels in the package to a minimum. Ink and solvent levels in fatty food packages are frequently regulated to insure product safety. It may be desirable, however, to provide a graphics capability inside a package. This would allow for promotional information or coupons to be maintained inside the package and only accessible after the consumer has opened the package. For example, a promotional prize campaign could be offered with the prize announcements being maintained inside the package. Likewise, coupons offering product rebate rewards, promotional prize points, or discounts on products could be maintained within the sealed package.
One prior art method used to provide a graphics capability inside the package involves the use of a paper insert dropped with the product into the package during filling. When the consumer opens the package, the paper insert can be removed for viewing and use. This method has several drawbacks, however. The reliability of placing a single paper insert in each bag (by dropping the paper with a weighed amount of product) is a major consideration, particularly in small packages. A capacity issue is raised by the need to rent inserters to be used during the filling process. Foreign matter detectors are also frequently set off by the detection of the paper insert within the bag. The insertion of a piece of paper can raise the solvent level in the package beyond acceptable levels. All of the above greatly adds to the expense of each single package.
Another approach to providing graphics within the bag would involve the application of the graphics directly to the inside metalized layer 16 shown in FIG. 1a. The application of such graphics can be accomplished using an inkjet printer. However, this method likewise raises a capacity issue, since present technology converters produce packaging film at a speed of 1500 to 2000 feet per minute, while the capacity of present inkjet printer heads is approximately 300 feet per minute. Additional modification to converters must be made in order to keep the inkjet printing in register with the graphics formed by the ink layer 12. All of the above considerations again add to the cost of the package. In addition, the United States Food and Drug Administration does not presently allow for the use of an ink-carrying layer that comes into contact with a fatty food.
Another prior art approach to this issue is illustrated in FIG. 1b, which is again a schematic cross-section of a packaging film. As with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1a, the embodiment shown in FIG. 1b comprises an outside OPP layer 10 followed by an ink layer 12, a laminate layer 14, and a metalized OPP or PET layer 16. However, an additional laminate layer 14xe2x80x2 is applied to the metalized layer 16 so that an additional ink layer 12xe2x80x2 and OPP or PET layer 10xe2x80x2 can be used as the new inside layer 10xe2x80x2. The use of the ink layers 12, 12xe2x80x2 as the second to last layer on both the outside and inside of the package allows for a full graphics capability on both the outside and the inside of the film. The additional film, however, adds approximately sixty percent (60%) to the cost of the material when compared with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1a. Overall capacity is also cut in half, since the film must be run through a typical converter twice. Further, since the material is 60% thicker, it cannot be run on a vertical form and fill machine at speeds as high as that used to make packages out of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1a. This is because longer dwell times must be used to form all the seals involved. As with the inkjet printer solution, the embodiment shown in FIG. 2a also requires additional efforts to keep the inside graphics and outside graphics in registration. Importantly, the embodiment shown in FIG. 1b again places ink inside a functional barrier layer, the metalized layer 16, which is not presently permitted for direct contact with many foods by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
In addition to ink and solvent concerns with package construction, packages, particularly with snack foods, need to be displayed to consumers. These packages are usually displayed in markets in designated areas, such as a supermarket aisle. There, packages are typically aligned so as to stack up against other packages while they rest on a shelf. As consumers remove packages from the shelf, this leaves packages to on its side if not properly supported. To encourage consumer purchases, markets prefer to have their products at the end of the store shelves leaving any empty space behind the products. With prior art packages as described above, it is not possible to leave empty space behind the packages because the packages cannot support themselves as would a boxed or canned product. Therefore, the only solutions are to leave the prior art packages toward the back of the shelf or to design shelves that have minimal depth, both of which are undesirable.
Consequently, a need exists for a package construction and method that allows for self-standing packages. A self-standing package for snack foods would allow packages to be displayed more effectively to consumers at the end of shelves without the need for other packages or alternatives for support. Additionally, it would be beneficial to have such self-standing packages to be manufactured relatively inexpensively with materials already known in the prior art. It is further desirable for the self-standing package constructions whereby a separate compartment can be formed for placement of materials with graphics so as to avoid or, at least minimize, ink and solvent contact with food.
The proposed invention involves producing a package made from flexible film having a film body formed as a discrete package. A support flap for supporting the package in a standing position is extended forth from the film body wherein the film body and the support flap are produced from a continuous segment of film. Thereby, when the package is positioned to stand upright, the support flap is extended away from the body of the tube of the package forming a pocket there between for support.
The method for forming the self-standing package comprises forming a sheet of film into a tube with an over-lapped segment of film extending out from the tube to form a support flap. Thereafter, at least one seal axially along the support flap is provided. The package is finished by sealing both terminal ends of the tube and the support flap to form the self-standing flexible package. Optionally, a pocket can be formed within the support flap for placement of printed graphic materials or other product.
The above as well as additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following written detailed description.